I Will Be With You
by Phoenix Deathrose
Summary: Duo's been captured and doesn't think he'll make it out alive. Will the others show up in time or will Duo be forced to die alone?


I WILL BE WITH YOU

BY: SHINI SILVERSCYTHE

WARNINGS: ANGST, DEATH, VIOLENCE, MILD SHOUNEN-AI

Disclaimer: I own no rights to these boys or the world in which they live. :so sad:

Time moves by slowly when you have nothing to do. I've found this out as I am a prisoner of OZ. Being chained to a wall really limits activity. Also, when you can't move, the smallest things drive you nuts. Trickling blood really tickles, and the thirst can become unbearable. Itches are enough to make you insane. Let me tell you, this sucks.

Questions keep running through my head. Did they find my Gundam? Do the others know I'm a prisoner? If they do, will they come? Were the others captured? Will I die?

Closing my eyes I test my restraints again. Darn, still firmly connected to the wall. Hearing a creak, I open my eyes to blinding light. The cell door is open. The door shuts and a smaller light blinks into being inside the cell. The officer of the base stands before me.

"Well, are you ready to talk now?"

I can do nothing in retaliation except take some of the last of my saliva and spit it in his face. He sputters in rage and his fist flies. This has happened so often over the last few days that I no longer feel it. Twinges every now and then, but nothing else. Vaguely I wonder what kind of damage I must have internally from this barrage. More liquid finds its way into my mouth and I spit again. A scarlet blotch appears on the officer's uniform. Blood. My blood.

Under the fist's beating I chuckle softly. I just felt something break and burst inside of me. Soon he'll be thrashing a dead body. Somehow it strikes me as amusing.

Suddenly a sound erupts outside the door of the cell. An explosion? My pain-dulled mind can't think why this is significant. It means something, but what? The blinding light returns as the door is thrown open. I faintly see four figures silhouetted in the light. My dazzled eyes tell me they must be angels.

The officer turns and is met by the bullets from four raised guns. He seems to fall slowly to the ground, eyes open in shock. The figures come towards me and I can see them now. One has dark black hair, tightly pulled back in a ponytail. I search for a name, but my brain only pulls up the image of a dragon. His eyes seem sad and slightly sick.

Next to him is a blonde seraph. Truly an angel, he turns teary eyes towards me. I see the desert in those eyes.

A Japanese boy is next, wearing a green tank top and black spandex shorts. His face conjures an image of light and love. His face is neutral while his eyes show anguish.

Last is a tall boy, half of his face obscured by a long brown bang. I see in my mind a soldier, a mercenary boy. The one eye I can see shows grief.

Why do they grieve? Do they feel pain for me? I who do not know who they are?

The boy of light comes over to me and picks the locks of my chains. No longer restrained, I fall forward into his arms. Gently, he lowers me to the ground and the others kneel by my sides. I squint up at them and I see emotions crossing their faces. Love, anger, sorrow, pain. I feel I must know them, but from where?

The room seems to darken even more. The edges of my vision darken. Strange, it seems the light is focusing on the ceiling. A face materializes in the light, one I could recognize anywhere.

"Sister Helen."

The blonde angel follows my gaze and gasps.

"No, Duo. You can't go to her. Not now. We need you here with us. Heero needs you."

Heero? The name seems familiar. Then I remember. The Japanese boy is Heero. Looking at him I see tears coursing down his cheeks, his stoic mask cracked. My dry lips split as

I try to speak.

"Heero."

His breath catches in a sob and he gently pulls me into his embrace. He keeps repeating the same words.

"I'm so sorry."

"Why?"

"I couldn't protect you."

"There was nothing you could have done."

"Duo…"

"Shh. I don't have much time, but I have to tell you…"

"No, don't talk like that. We'll get you to Sally and she'll fix you up."

I smile weakly and shake my head.

"I love you, Heero."

His body is shaking with sobs now as he holds me. I don't want to cause him pain.

My eyes scan over the others. I recognize them now. The dragon, Wufei. The angel, Quatre. The boy mercenary, Trowa. My friends. My family.

Quatre is crying, leaning on Trowa who holds him close. Wufei's eyes are closed, trying to refrain from shedding tears. Reaching out, I touch his knee. His onyx eyes open and he looks at me. Smiling, I try to reassure him. He smiles back, shakily, and nods his head.

My gaze goes back to Heero, my lover of light. I lightly stroke his cheek. It is all I have strength left for. My lips move and he has to lean forward to hear.

"I will always be with you."

My eyes close and I exhale for the last time. I feel myself rising to the light on the ceiling. Sister Helen reaches out and envelops me in her arms. My pain is over, I am safe now.

Heero:

It's been a week since Duo died, but I don't feel alone. His death tore me apart, but over the last few days I feel myself coming back together. We had a small private funeral. The four of us left were the only ones there. We each spoke and shared memories over his grave. The sun was shining and the day was warm. Butterflies were all around, making us smile.

I remember his last words and I have to believe them. That day I saw his face in the clouds. I heard his voice in the wind. I felt his hand on my shoulder, giving my comfort and support. At night the bed is never cold. It's just like he is beside me, like he was before. Things won't be the same again, but at least I know I don't have to face the future alone. I haven't told the others. I like to enjoy his presence. I don't want them to tell me that I'm imagining this.

Duo, I know you're watching over me. I couldn't seem to say the words before, but I say them freely now. I love you. You are everything to me. Even though I couldn't say them when you were alive, I know you hear them now. Ai-shiteru, koibito. Arigatou.

Three months later:

The four remaining pilots were on a mission. They were to attack and destroy an OZ military base on L2. They were desperately fighting a losing battle, flanked on all sides by mobile dolls. The whole mission had become a death trap. Quatre and Trowa fought with their suits back to back. Their faces set in grim determination; they knew they would at least die together.

Wufei and Heero fought back to back, each thinking that they would soon be with their dead loved ones. The Chinese boy thinking of his wife, Meiran. The Japanese boy thinking of his koi. Not one of the four noticed the mobile suit until it began to destroy the dolls that surrounded them. Four sets of eyes stared in disbelief as they watched a familiar black suit slice through the enemies with ease, thermal scythe glowing.

"Duo!" exclaimed four breathless voices.

They tried to contact Deathscythe's cockpit, but they only got silence. Realizing the battle wasn't over yet, they attacked the dolls with renewed strength. After another ten minutes their mission was complete. Sandrock, Heavyarms, Nataku, and Wing gathered together and their pilots walked out onto their cockpit platforms. Turning their heads they watched as Deathscythe began to fly away. As they stared they saw its edges start to blur.

In amazement they watched the mobile suit disappear in the sky.

"Did we just see that?"

Heero grinned at the question and looked at Quatre who had asked.

"Yes, he said he'd be with us."

Silence reigned over them as they all contemplated what their friend had done for them. He'd saved their lives in battle, as he had done countless times before when he was alive. Smiles crossed all of their faces as a wind picked up.

The wind played with their hair and pulled at their clothing. As they listened, the wind seemed to laugh. The noise was the sound of the bubbling laughter of their fellow pilot and friend, Duo Maxwell.

"I run and hide, but I never lie. I keep my word, I will always be with you."

-OWARI-


End file.
